For many years, endo-β-1,4-xylanases (EC 3.2.1.8) (referred to herein as xylanases) have been used for the modification of complex carbohydrates derived from plant cell wall material. It is well known in the art that the functionality of different xylanases (derived from different microorganisms or plants) differs enormously. Xylanase is the name given to a class of enzymes which degrade the linear polysaccharide beta-1,4-xylan into xylooligosaccharides or xylose, thus breaking down hemicellulose, one of the major components of plant cell walls.
Based on structural and genetic information, xylanases have been classified into different Glycoside Hydrolase (GH) families (Henrissat, (1991) Biochem. J. 280, 309-316).
Initially all known and characterized xylanases belonged to the families GH10 or GH11. Further work then identified numerous other types of xylanases belonging to the families GH5, GH7, GH8 and GH43 (Collins et al (2005) FEMS Microbiol Rev., 29 (1), 3-23).
Until now the GH11 family differs from all other GH's, being the only family solely consisting of xylan specific xylanases. The structure of the GH11 xylanases can be described as a β-Jelly roll structure or an all β-strand sandwich fold structure (Himmel et al 1997 Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 63-65, 315-325). GH11 enzymes have a catalytic domain of around 20 kDa.
GH10 xylanases have a catalytic domain with molecular weights in the range of 32-39 kDa. The structure of the catalytic domain of GH10 xylanases consists of an eightfold β/α barrel (Harris et al 1996—Acta. Crystallog. Sec. D 52, 393-401).
Three-dimensional structures are available for a large number of Family GH10 enzymes, the first solved being those of the Streptomyces lividans xylanase A (Derewenda et al J Biol Chem 1994 Aug. 19; 269(33) 20811-4), the C. fimi endo-glycanase Cex (White et al Biochemistry 1994 Oct. 25; 33(42) 12546-52), and the Cellvibrio japonicus Xyn10A (previously Pseudomonas fluorescens subsp. xylanase A) (Harris et al Structure 1994 Nov. 15; 2(11) 1107-16.). As members of Clan GHA they have a classical (α/β)8 TIM barrel fold with the two key active site glutamic acids located at the C-terminal ends of beta-strands 4 (acid/base) and 7 (nucleophile) (Henrissat et al Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1995 Jul. 18; 92(15) 7090-4).
Comprehensive studies characterising the functionality of xylanases have been done on well characterised and pure substrates (Kormelink et al., 1992 Characterisation and mode of action of xylanases and some accessory enzymes. Ph.D. Thesis, Agricultural University Wageningen, Holland (175 pp., English and Dutch summaries)). These studies show that different xylanases have different specific requirements with respect to substitution of the xylose backbone of the arabinoxylan (AX). Some xylanases require three un-substituted xylose residues to hydrolyse the xylose backbone; others require only one or two. The reasons for these differences in specificity are thought to be due to the three dimensional structure within the catalytic domains, which in turn is dependent on the primary structure of the xylanase, i.e. the amino acid sequence. However, the translation of these differences in the amino acid sequences into differences in the functionality of the xylanases, has up until now not been documented when the xylanase acts in a complex environment, such as a plant material, e.g. in a feedstuff.
The xylanase substrates in plant material, e.g. in wheat, have traditionally been divided into two fractions: The water un-extractable AX (WU-AX) and the water extractable AX (WE-AX). There have been numerous explanations as to why there are two different fractions of AX. The older literature (D'Appolonia and MacArthur—(1976, Cereal Chem. 53. 711-718) and Montgomery and Smith (1955, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 77. 3325-332) describes quite high differences in the substitution degree between WE-AX and WU-AX. The highest degree of substitution was found in WE-AX. This was used to explain why some of the AX was extractable. The high degree of substitution made the polymer soluble, compared to a lower substitution degree, which would cause hydrogen bonding between polymers and consequently precipitation.
The difference between the functionality of different xylanases has been thought to be due to differences in xylanase specificity and thereby their preference for the WU-AX or the WE-AX substrates.
Xylanase enzymes have been reported from nearly 100 different organisms, including plants, fungi and bacteria. The xylanase enzymes are classified into several of the more than 40 families of glycosyl hydrolase enzymes. The glycosyl hydrolase enzymes, which include xylanases, mannanases, amylases, β-glucanases, cellulases, and other carbohydrases, are classified based on such properties as the sequence of amino acids, their three dimensional structure and the geometry of their catalytic site (Gilkes, et al., 1991, Microbiol. Reviews 55: 303-315).